Sophia scanned the front of the general store, desperate for Zan to see her difficulty and rescue her from the ranting Esterlin. “I really need to find Zan,” she said, backing away. Esterlin followed her, jabbing her finger, shouting about backward Terran beliefs and fat men who deliver toys to children.
The truck stopped her progress. Sophia was completely flat against the hood of the truck, pinned under Esterlin’s angry rant. The older woman’s words, spiteful and cutting, brought up all the hurtful words Derek said to her.
“You’re not good enough for them, so stop kidding yourself. They deserve a proper Corravian female. How will they stand against the mornclaw scourge when you weaken them?” Sophia nodded numbly. The theme was familiar ground. Not good enough for anyone. Lucky to have Derek, warts and all. No one else could stand her. And since she got to Corra? Not a single person had been nice to her. Alton and Zan, sure, but they were married to her. And Miri, but she was her sister-in-law and didn’t count. The townsfolk? Stared at her and didn’t actually speak to her.
Esterlin was right. Sophia didn’t belong. She was fooling herself.
“You said your piece,” Zan said, sandwiching himself between Sophia and Esterlin. “I won’t have you speak that way to my mate.”
“I’m your elder and deserving respect,” Esterlin said, turning her ire to Zan.
“You’re older than me, that’s about all. Don’t bother Sophia again. I won’t ask nicely twice.”
Esterlin spit on the ground before storming off.
Charming.
Zan’s expression softened. He stroked her cheek. Sophia leaned into his touch. “You all right?”
She nodded, putting on a brave face even though tears wet her lashes. “Why is she so mean?”
“She’s had a hard life and feeling superior to everyone is the only way she gets through the day. I can’t believe she yelled at you in Universal.”
“Why is that so strange?”
“About a year ago she went on a campaign to make Corravian the official language of Corra. Said Universal made us weak. Degenerate.”
Sophia snorted. Apparently her degenerate language was good enough to sling abuse in. “Is everyone in that family awful?”
“Unfortunately.”
Chapter Twelve
Sophia
The day went by in a blur. Every scrape outside the house made Sophia jump. Zan stopped in frequently, to give her a quick kiss of reassurance. Alton hung around the house. Sophia was sure Zan told him about what happened in town. She appreciated that her men worked hard, damn hard. She wanted to contribute, to help and not be a burden.
On the fringe of the mornclaw infested area, it was not safe for Sophia to stray far from the house. Would she be safe if she planted a flower garden? The hydroponic vegetable garden was completely automated. There was nothing for her to do in the greenhouse and she couldn't collect the fresh vegetables. The journey to the greenhouse was unprotected and too great a distance. She remained confined to the house. Alton said she wasn’t a prisoner and that was technically true.
She was the mornclaws’ prisoner.
Cleaning the house was a good getting-to-know-you project but that couldn’t keep her occupied forever, even after painting every room. She needed to find a project. Something interesting. Something that made use of her skills.
Problems to worry about tomorrow. Tonight was date night. Considering the way the morning started, Sophia had sky high expectations. Fantastic dizzy feelings fluttered in her stomach: excited, exhilarated and a little nauseous. What could she wear to a date with two men? The majority of her limited wardrobe was practical, too stuffy and not showing nearly enough cleavage.
When the sun sat low in the sky, the men arrived at the house on horseback. They looked timeless, upright and broad shouldered on the horses, like something out of ancient Earth history, if you could ignore the fact that the horse had six legs. Not quite Earth, then. They said something to each other, Alton laughed while Zan jumped down. Alton had a wicker basket behind him.
She met them on the porch.
She wore a knee length white lace dress that displayed all her cleavage and hugged her hips just right. The knee high boots were an old favorite with buttery soft tanned leather and the sexiest damn things she ever wore on her feet. She could feel their greedy eyes gobbling her up. Alton nodded, tipping his hat down and Zan licked his lips.
“You look, wow. Just wow,” Alton said, jumping on to the porch.
“Always the tone of surprise.”
“Not surprise,” he said. “Just wow.”
She smiled, holding his gaze. “What do you boys have planned?”
“Ever ridden a horse?” Zan asked.
Sophia shook her head. “Is it like riding a bike?”
Zan hopped down from his horse. “No worries, we’ll give you a little lesson.”
Why did she blush when he said that? Damn that fine alien. Sophia wanted to shout that her being flustered had nothing to do with Zan or his sexy smooth voice, just to get the smirk off the handsome face, but that would be a lie.
She didn’t want to start date night off on the wrong foot.
“Come on over,” Zan said, taking her hand and lead her to his horse. “This is Buttercup.” He placed her hand on the thick neck of the bay mare. She was hot under her palm. Zan stood close behind her, his body pressing against her. “First thing, don’t be scared.”
“I’m not scared.” She wasn’t.
“Good, because you can spook a horse if you’re nervous. Not Buttercup, though. This girl has nerves of steel.”
Buttercup’s eyes were a dark, liquid brown. Sophia didn’t know about steel but Buttercup’s gaze was placid.
“Second,” Zan said, “is mounting.”
She refused to blush.
“Get a move on,” Alton said. “We’re losing daylight.”
Zan ignored his partner. “Foot in the stirrup and bounce up, swinging your right leg over. Got it?” He demonstrated where to grip the saddle.
Sophia nodded, mimicking his grip. “Bounce and swing.”
“Show me.”
Her first attempt didn’t get her far off the ground.
“Don’t be afraid to put your weight into it. She’s sturdy.”
The second attempt went better. Her leg swung over the saddle, hitching the dress up immodestly high. Somehow she didn’t think either man minded. Zan swung into the saddle behind her. His hands settled on her waist in an easy grip.
“Back straight, shoulders back and keep your legs straight, like you’re standing, not sitting in a chair.” His hands traveled to the aforementioned locations and moved her into correct posture. “Good. Now you’re going to use your abs,” the flat of his hands rested on her stomach, “so you might be sore tomorrow.”
Sophia certainly hoped so. She caught Alton’s eye and another blush came over her. Damn. She broke their gaze and looked down, to the reins Zan placed in her hands.
“Use your body to steer. Apply pressure like this. Left,” he tapped her left thigh. “Right.” The right thigh. “Go.” Both hands on her thighs and pushed gently in, squeezing Buttercup. The horse responded and moved forward.
She gasped in surprise.
“Don’t fight the motion. Think of it like carrying a cup of coffee.”
“This is nothing like carrying a cup of coffee.”
“City girls,” Zan said. “And this is stop.” His hands gripped her hips and forced her back. Buttercup stopped immediately.
“Any questions?” he asked.
“Why didn’t you tell me to wear pants?” Sophia’s thighs rubbed against the leather and the course saddle blanket.
Alton laughed. “Selfish reasons, Sophia. Ready for a tour of the homestead?”
She took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m new at this. Be gentle.”
Zan’s bulk shifted as he took the reins and motioned for Buttercup to start the journey. No promises. Interesting. Well, to be honest, she d
idn’t exactly crave ‘gentle’ tonight.
The tour took them past the old red barn, the new white and green barn with the corrugated metal roof and to the west. They followed a barbed wire fence. Zan pointed out the freshly branded calves and explained the difference between branding and using ear tags. The late summer calves would go to auction soon. Then they came to a pasture with large, birdlike creatures that stood on two thin legs and were as tall as the horse.
“What in the world are those?”
“Emus,” Alton said proudly. “They’re Terran.”
“And why do you have Terran emus?” Sophia asked. Buttercup picked her way through the herd gently, not disturbing the tall birds. They ignored the riders, which was good. She wasn’t sure what she would have done if the birds decided they didn’t like the look of her face.
“Oil,” Zan said. “mornclaws don’t like the smell of them. Plus, they’re hardy, docile and happy as pigs in mud on the land not good enough for crops or cattle.”
They headed north. The pasture sloped downwards. There was a small copse of trees at the bottom of the pasture. The leaves were a mix of bright green and the earliest of the newly turned golden leaves. Near the tree, Alton dismounted. His outstretched hands helped her off Buttercup. Her knees wobbled when she landed on solid ground.
Alton smirked, not missing a trick. “Sore and tender yet?”
“It’s almost as if I used muscles in a new and interesting way.”
He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Zan secured the horse while Alton unpacked a blanket and picnic basket.
In the copse was a small creek with a clearing at the bend. Alton spread the blanket and set out the picnic. Sophia carefully arranged herself on the blanket. Air pleasantly warm, the trees provided enough shade from the late summer heat. The sound of running water and the hum of insects created an easy backdrop.
Alton produced a flagon of dark red wine with slices of orange and pomegranate seeds floating in it. He poured her a cup of the sangria.
“You’re not trying to get me drunk, are you?” she asked. All her experiences with Corravian alcohol came with a hangover.
“It’s fruit juice, actually. I want you to be lucid.”
Next came loaves of crusty bread stuffed with a creamy cheese, pear, and walnut. The bread had the perfect bite and the pear and cheese melted in her mouth. “This is incredible,” she said.
“Well,” Alton said, far too pleased with himself, “it wouldn’t be fair to seduce you with my stunning good looks alone.”
Sophia laughed. Maybe the not-wine or the pleasant warmth relaxed her. The warriors didn’t need her to be productive. They just wanted her in their home. The ride, the banter between the two men who obviously cared for each other, the amazing meal… It was perfect.
“There’s no way you two will be like this everyday,” she said. This was a good date but an unrealistic expectation for daily life.
Zan rested back on his elbows, head tilted up at the canopy. “We seem to get along,” he said.
“No we don’t,” she said. “I can barely bite my tongue to keep from yelling at you and everything out of my mouth is rude and insulting.”
Alton exchanged looks with Zan. “Maybe we like ‘em rough around the edges. We already told you we had no interest in a boring girl.”
Sophia took another sip of the not-wine. They liked feisty girls. She could do that. “Tell me about dessert.”
Alton reached into his picnic basket of wonders and produced a jar of chocolate hazelnut spread.
“That’s it?” she asked, disappointed. The warrior could bake wonders but those wonders probably didn’t hold up well after a horseback ride.
“So judgey,” Zan said.
Alton unscrewed the lid. He dragged a finger into the jar, holding up a thick glob of rich, dark chocolate. He brought his chocolate covered finger to her lips. Instinctively, she locked eyes with him and her lips took the length of his finger. She licked his finger clean, letting the chocolate melt on her tongue. She could see what he was going for.
Another dip into the jar and this time he spread the chocolate across her lips. Using his chocolate free hand, he gently grabbed her chin and turned her head toward Zan. The cowboy leaned in and slowly dragged his tongue across her lips. She wasn’t sure how much chocolate he got because he leaned in again, this time his lips claiming hers. The taste of warm chocolate and hazelnut flooded her mouth. A moan rattled in the back of her throat.
Zan positioned himself behind Sophia and Alton pushed her down into the cowboy. Her head rested on his lap. Alton reapplied the chocolate, this time being a little messy and getting some on her cheek. He lapped it up. The men took turns smearing chocolate on her skin and licking it clean. They covered and cleaned her face, neck and the exposed skin of her chest.
This was a hell of a date.
Alton’s hands skimmed up her leg, pushing up the dress. He applied chocolate to the inside of her thigh. Kneeling between her thighs, his dark eyes held her gaze, asking permission.
“Clean that up, mister,” Sophia said. He did with gusto.
Zan pushed the white dress up even further, exposing the soft expanse of her belly. It heaved with her ragged breaths. His thumb left a wide smear of chocolate. The cowboy leaned over and dutifully removed every trace, his lips lingering, licking far beyond when any particle remained.
Sophia removed the dress. Her heart had a moment of panic when both men sat in silence, staring at her. “What,” she demanded.
“You’re perfect,” Alton said, leaning in for a kiss.
“Gorgeous,” Zan said.
The men kissed her on either side of her mouth. She turned from one to the other, letting their tongues touch hers, caress her. Each male had a different but complimentary style: slow and intense matched with wild and fierce. Both were good individually. Together they were perfection.
Up until the moment, she realized that she didn’t believe them when they said they wanted a relationship with the same woman, to share, to be part of a three person unit. Maybe she thought this was part of their competitive nature, using a ridiculous line to get her in bed. Well, it worked.
“I don’t fancy being the only one naked here,” she said.
They quickly stripped. There would be time to admire their perfectly muscled bodies, wide shoulders and thick thighs. In the moment, Sophia didn’t want any delays or distractions to ruin the moment.
Alton’s cock, thick and hard, was a deep brown. The head glistened. Sophia swiped her finger across the head, gathering his pre-cum. She licked her finger clean. Alton moaned loudly, eyes fixed on her mouth.
“We’re going to claim you,” he said, stroking the curve where her neck joined her shoulder. “I’m going to bite you here.”
“And I’ll mark you here.” Zan kissed the other side of her neck.
“Will it hurt?” she asked.
“No, asali. It will not hurt,” Alton said. “Is that what you want?”
Sophia nodded. Corravian ways were not her ways but it felt right to be claimed by the two males. Her mates.
Sophia leaned into Alton. “Claim me, husband.” With one finger, she lifted his chin and planted a delicate kiss on his lips. With a rumble in his throat, he enthusiastically returned the kiss.
She turned toward Zan. She grabbed his hand and placed it firmly on the curve of her breast. His hands were warm, as if he had fire in his veins. She kissed him, not delicately. His cock, a rich chestnut color, stood at attention.
Zan kissed her breasts. His lips left a glistening trail. Her skin lit up where they touched. He kneaded her breasts, teasing the pink nubs mercilessly. Sophia sagged against him. She was wet and ready. She needed Zan’s cock. And Alton’s cock.
Alton’s mouth explored the curves of her ass, spreading her cheeks apart. One clever hand went to her pussy. His touch tingled as he stroked and parted her folds. Fire and electricity played over her body. She moaned in delight.
He pulled he
r onto the ground, onto all fours. She felt his cock push against her entrance. She reached under to rub her clit. Zan knocked her hand away, replacing it with his own.
“That’s mine now,” he said. “Mine to touch. Mine to please you with.” She nearly came at his primal, raw words.
Alton pushed into her slowly, inch by inch, stretching her. “She’s so hot and tight,” he told Zan. He stroked in shallow. Sophia pushed back, trying to get as much of his length as she could.
Zan knelt in front of Sophia, working his long, hard cock in his hand.
“Isn’t our mate beautiful?”
“Yes,” Zan said, locking eyes with her. “Fuck her faster.”
Alton picked up the pace but his strokes remained gentle. He pushed deeply into her but did not slam into her walls. His grip on her hips was tender. He sat back on his heels into a kneeling position and pulled Sophia onto his lap. The new angle hit the perfect place and it was too much.
“My mate,” he snarled, lifting her on his cock and thrusting into her. “I.”
Another thrust.
“Love.”
Another thrust, balls slapping against her pussy.
“You.”
A hard slam, her core clenching around his member. Bliss spread throughout her over heated, overly sensitive body. She wanted to return the sentiment, to tell Alton that she had fallen in love with his eager, open nature, but the words didn’t leave her tongue. Instead her pussy throbbed at his words, gripping him tightly.
She neared her release but Alton wasn’t going to let her go, not just yet. He deliberately slowed, his voice a growl. “Alton, please. I need—”
“What do you need, mate?” Descended fangs garbled his speech.
“I need to come.” Desperation made her voice ragged.
He roared, sinking his fangs exactly where he indicated her would mark her. He bit deep. Sophia didn’t feel any pain. A warm euphoria spread through her and her head lolled to one side. Alton nuzzled at the mark, licking clean the wound.
Delivered to the Aliens: Cosmic Connections Page 9
